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Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. It is likely just that a lot of us have live in Asian countries for a long time, learned the language and such. And there is a lot of stuff to translate, so there you go!

(In my case too, it is that my family likes to eat).

Hey, don't you live in an Asian country, and aren't you learning the language??

Well, a lot of the teachings by the Chinese and Japanese masters become clearer if you can see through language differences and the lens of culture. You also have to separate what is Buddhist teachings and "Zen" from what is Japanese or Chinese culture (Zen is not paper screens, kimono, Mt. Fuji and gardens) ... sometimes you can't. Sometimes the Buddhist teachings flourish because of the soil of culture.

Well, a lot of the teachings by the Chinese and Japanese masters become clearer if you can see through language differences and the lens of culture.

This is also true in the Tibetan tradition. Western Buddhism suffers from some unfortunate word choices in translation. (Emptiness and suffering are two words that are suspect. Although I am not sure what English words I would have chosen instead.) So, I can see the desire to read the works in the original language and context.

I am grateful for Jundo's knowledge of Japanese language and culture to help guide us through some of the more culturally related aspects of Soto Zen.

I am grateful for Jundo's knowledge of Japanese language and culture to help guide us through some of the more culturally related aspects of Soto Zen.

Thak you Linda. I hope I can do that. Language study, like Zen Practice, is a lifetime pursuit that is done day by day. I have 18 years of Japanese study and need about 50 more. Actually, I live in Japan in an old, traditional farmhouse with a garden and big rocks and lanterns and an old wooden Zendo. That is the Treeleaf Zendo with buildings (hope some folks will come for a visit now and then!)

(Here is some film from the day the Shinto Priest came at my wife's behest to appease the spirits and ancestors ... click on the link 'Watch O-Harai')

One of my hopes is to use living in Japan as a base to separate what is "Zen" culture from what is just "Japanese" or "Asian" culture. Sometimes, there is no need to separate, and in fact, one supports and nourishes the other (for example, Zen gardening, Oryoki eating, bowing and such).

Here is a trivia question:

In traditional Japanese supplicating (called "dogeza"), the hands are palm down ...

... but in our Zen practice we sometimes bow with the palms up. Why the difference?

The bowing with the palms facing upwards is pre-Buddhism, and stems from bowing to those of a higher class. It was to show that there weren't any hidden weapons within the hands. It is found within most older feudal cultures across Central Asia/Europe (especially in Muslim countries).

Ever wondered why Buddhists uncover the right shoulder? well for the same reason, it showed that there were no weapons hidden and there was no evil intent.

It's nice that these quaint old modes of greeting have adopted symbolic and spiritual connections - that wasn't the intention however.